


Recollections

by Alice_In_The_Sky



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azran Legacy Spoilers, Deslay, I'm not sure about this, I'm procastinating, M/M, Please Don't Hate Me, Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-08
Updated: 2014-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-16 15:52:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2275626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alice_In_The_Sky/pseuds/Alice_In_The_Sky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It's all right, Hershel..." He whispered, softly. "It'll be fine. I-I'll remember for the both of us." He declared. "Even if you forget, I'll remember and when the day comes, I'll come find you and then..." He swallowed and heard the click in his throat. "I'll tell you and you can remember with me and I can take you away with me. S-so it'll be all right."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recollections

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by ab2fsycho's Revolve series, in which Layton was a clingy person when he slept. I liked it that he was clingy when he slept. I hope you don't mind if I borrowed that idea. This has nothing to do with that lovely series though. If you haven't read it, go read it! It's really very nice!! XDD

Theodore cried when he found out and that night the smaller boy crept into bed with him, as he was wont to do when upset. They couldn't stay together as they were now. They were still too young to survive and live on their own. He was still too weak. He wasn't old enough to protect them both. This was the only way he could keep Theodore safe and away from whoever it was that took their parents.

And it was supposed to be a happy week. Theodore's mother was going to marry his father. It was going to be just them, a few friends and a judge and then a lovely picnic. And Theodore wouldn't ever have to leave. They could stay together.

He gritted his teeth at the sound of Theodore's sobs. The younger boy's small, frail frame shook and large drops of bitter tears ran down his chubby cheeks. His small hands, clutched his pyjamas shirt so tight, his knuckles turned white. Hershel gritted his teeth and kept his sadness from his face.

Because he had to.

"I don't want to go away!" Theodore cried, small hands fisted, holding onto him for dear life. "I want to stay with you!"

"We talked about this." He admonished, gently: "It's for the best." He tried to smile and stroked the younger boy's brown hair. "You'll have lots of fun, you'll see. You'll go to a good school, make new friends, play outside 'till the sun sets and maybe they'll even let you have a pet or two, just like you wanted."

He held Theodore gently, so very gently. When the morrow came, he would lose his most precious Theodore. His own hands trembled. He wanted to cry but he knew he shouldn't. He was older, (even if it was just by a few years) he had to be stronger.

Right?

"Then on Sundays, you can have picnics in a nice park o-or the sea and you can forget about the frightening things that happened here. You'll be happy."

Theodore looked up at him, stricken. He didn't want his last memory of Theodore like that, face stained with tears with eyes full of grief that he knew should never belong to one so young.

He loved Theodore.

He loved him so very much.

"I don't want to forget!" Theodore cried, adamantly. He almost didn't understand what he said, trembling as much as he did. "If I forget, then I'll forget about Mama, and Papa and I'll forget about you too!!"

His arms tightened around Theodore. He didn't want to let him go. But it was too dangerous. Those people might return and he didn't want Theodore to be taken too.

"Don't make me forget, Hershel..." Theodore sobbed.

He shook his head. "Hershel is your name now." He reminded him gently.

"I'm not Hershel!" Theodore shouted, angrily. "I-I'm not... I don't want to forget..."

He knew, because Theodore was young, that he would forget one day. It was for the best. He kept that mantra in his head and tried to convince himself that he wouldn't be lonely and wouldn't miss him.

"It's all right, Hershel..." He whispered, softly. "It'll be fine. I-I'll remember for the both of us." He declared. "Even if you forget, I'll remember and when the day comes, I'll come find you and then..." He swallowed and heard the click in his throat. "I'll tell you and you can remember with me and I can take you away with me. S-so it'll be all right."

"I'm not Hershel..."

Hands held under the covers of the bed they then shared, Hershel pressed a kiss on Theodore's forehead, memorizing the feel of small hands in his. They curled against each other as they waited for the morrow to come.

* * *

 

Sycamore opened his eyes and blinked, blearily glancing around the Bostonius. It was dark with only the full moon to light that night. There were papers on the table and on the floor and several open books that he remembered he was reading before he dozed off. He sighed, exhausted as he rubbed his eyes with a hand. The red spectacles fell from his face and onto the carpeted floor by his feet. Freed from the offending article, he sighed. He hadn't had that dream in a long time and was not quite sure what could've triggered it. Perhaps it was because he spent so much time in Layton's company. Yet they've spent several weeks together in their travels, why had he dreamt of that now and not earlier when they met as different people?

He wasn't sure.

But just like he promised another life ago, he remembered for him.

His thoughts stopped when he felt a weight landing on his shoulder. Carefully, he turned his head only to find that Hershel Layton had fallen asleep, his head now rested on Sycamore's shoulder.

It wouldn't do to be seen this way so he tried to move slowly away to keep Layton from waking. Yet found that Layton had pressed himself against him more; enough that Sycamore was trapped between Layton and the armrest. It was not the most comfortable position, especially as Layton seemed to be determined in his sleep not to lose his human pillow.

Sycamore quietly chuckled and very slowly placed an arm around the other man's shoulder; drew him closer to rest comfortably by his side. He could smell the other's man's shampoo and the hazy scent of tea as well.

"My poor, dear Hershel" He whispered, fondly. "What am I to do with you?"

Layton grunted, wrinkling his nose a bit and then snuggled closer. So close, in fact, that he thought Layton was trying to crawl into his skin. It reminded him of when they were children. When they were still innocent and unmarred by the world's woes. The way Layton used to crawl into his bed when frightened by a nightmare or just when he didn't want to be alone.

He remembered that he loved him.

He loved him so very much.

It was so strange that those feelings resurfaced and still remained after all the years of separation. He figured it was because now, Layton was the only treasure he had left to protect. The only treasure left that he loved.

He gave him a small kiss on the top of his head. The same way he used to do on those days and nights they were together. It wouldn't happen again. They could never return to those happy days.

Burying his cheek on the top of Layton's head, he mourned. It seemed to stir Layton but before Layton could properly process where he was and who he was with, Sycamore ran his fingers through his hair. It made him relax, eyes still half-lidded, heavy with sleep.

"Shh..." Sycamore whispered, soothingly. "It's all right. See? I've remembered for you..."

There was a smile on Layton's lips as sleep claimed him once more.

Sycamore remembered.

_But I can't take you with me anymore._

 

* * *

 

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> I hope it was all right. If it isn't, tell me and I shall take it down. I'm stumped trying to write the next chapter of "Prized Possesions" so I'm procrastinating. I really have no idea where it's going to go... I have an ending with a hazy middle with strange beginning and no idea how to put them all together.
> 
> Thanks for reading. :)


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